Barrel washing and renovating machine.



M. LUPINSKI & G. l. MEYER.

BARREL WASHING AND RENOVATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC.I30. i915.

1,225,982. Patented May15,1917.

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IIII Il MLLUPINSKI &`G. I. MEYER. BARREL wAsmNc AND ReNovAnNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 30.19l5.

Patented May 15,1917.

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MAX LUPINSKI AND GEORGE J. MEYER, OF MILWAUKEE, WSCONSIN.

BARREL WASHING AND RENOVATING MACI-II E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 191'?.

Application led December 30, 1915. Serial No. 69,506.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, MAX LUPINSKI and GEORGE J. MEYER, citizens of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee and State of l/Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Barrel lVashing and Renovating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in barrel washing and renovating machines.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby barrels, kegs, or similar packages may be taken from a fioor or tracks by means of an elevator and operated upon continuously in a single machine and in a succession or cycle of operations, whereby the interior of the barrel may be soaked,

the exterior washed, the bung removed, the

barrel drained, its interior washed, heated to remove the pitch or calking material, repitched or coated with calking and sterilizing material, washed, reamed and delivered to any suitable storage point.

In a companion application filed by us December 10, 1915 for Letters Patent for barrel calking and renovating machines, Serial No. 69,507, we have described and claimed the structural features of the calk removing and recalking or pitching machine and these features are therefore not claimed herein, except in so far as that machine enters in cooperative relation with the soaking and washing or cleansing mechanism herein described.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, of the initial portion of our improved machine.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the rear end portion of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the carrier.

Like parts are identified bythe same reference characters throughout the several views.

In Fig. 1, an elevator A provided with barrel engaging brackets B of ordinary construction, is employed to deliver barrels C to an inclined platform 1 down which the barrels roll by gravity into a washing tank 2. While the barrels are on the platform 1, an operator removes the tap plug D and inserts a suitable nozzle connected with an eXtensible pipe 8 leading from a tank l and having a HeXible joint at 5. The

pipe 3 is preferably formed in telescoping sections, the upper section 3L allowing the lower section 3 to slide therein. It is not essential that this pipe should be formed in sections, since an ordinary flexible hose may be employed if desired. The object of having it extensible is to permit the insertion of the nozzle in the tap hole of the barrel and to then allow the barrel to roll aong the patform l to make room for the succeeding barrels, while cleansing liquid is being discharged from the tank A through the pipe 3 into the barrel with which such pipe is connected.

After a sufiicient quantity of cleansing liquid has been delivered into the barrel, the operator thereupon disconnects the pipe 3 from the barrel and reinserts the plug D, the barrel then rolling to the foot of the inclined platform 1 and into a position where it is partially submerged in a cleansing liquid contained in the tank 2. The barrel will still be supported within the tank 2 by a submerged platform or track 7 which delivers the barrels successively to a set of submerged rollers 8 journaled in a supporting frame 9 which is adapted to swing upon a pivot rod 10. A barrel in position on the rollers 8 may be rotated either by actuating said rollers or byl actuating the barrel directly. The periphery of the barrel will thereupon be scrubbed by a brush 14, the ends being simultaneously scrubbed by brushes 15, one operating at each end of the barrel. The lower portion of the barrel being submerged in the cleansing liquid and the barrel being in rotation, it is obvious that the exterior surface may be quickly cleaned.

The barrel is then delivered to a lifting fork 16 pivotally supported by a cross rod 17 and adapted to be `actuated from any suitable source of power through a link rod 18 and an upwardly projecting arm 19 connected with the forked shank. A pull exerted through the rod 18 swings the arm 19 to the right in F ig. 1, thereby lifting the fork 16 and with it a barrel engaged there by. The fork is provided with an upwardly projecting arm 2O so that the barrel will be retained when so lifted until it is permitted to roll over the extremities of the arms 20 to a set of supporting rollers 25 located at the rear end of the shank and preferably slightly above it. These rollers washed barrels, the exterior surfaces of which have been cleaned by the liquid in tank 2 and by the brushes 14 and rilhe interior surfaces of the barrels will have also been thoroughlysoaked in the cleansing solution which was injected through the ipe 3.

W hen the barrel is supported upon the rollers 25, it may be rotated by the operator until the bung stopper E is uppermost, whereupon the stopper E is removed by means of an auger 27, the shank 28 of which has sliding key connection with an actuating gear wheel 29 driven from any suitable source of power through an actuating pinion 30. The upper end of the auger shank 28 is connected with a lever 32 pivoted at 33 to a supporting frame and connected by a link 34 with a foot pedal 35. When the operator presses upon the foot pedal, the auger 27 moves downwardly and is simultaneously rotated by power applied through the gear members 30 and 29. The auger therefore quickly removes the bung stopper E, whereupon the operator removes the pressure upon the pedal 35 and the auger is lifted away from the barrel by reaction of spring 37.

The rollers 25 constitute an initial station of a series of stations along which the barrels are advanced in step by step movements through the medium of a barrel lifting and advancing carrier composed of a supporting frame 40, having a series of barrel receiving rests 41 thereon. This carrier is supported from a set of overhead levers 41 by 'hangers 42. The overhead levers 4l are pivotally connected with the frame 43 at 44. Cross rods 45 are journaled in the lower ends of the hangers 42 and segment brackets 46 are secured to these cross rods in aposition to support the carrier, as best shownV in Fig. 2. rIhe carrier is suitably ycounterbalanced by weighted levers 47. A reciprocating movement is also imparted to the carrier by swinging levers pivoted to the frame at 51 and having sliding connection with the carrier at 53. The carrier is lifted and lowered by the levers 4l and is reciprocated to the front and rear by the levers 50, the arrangement being such that the carrier will be moved4 longitudinally to the left by the levers 50preparatory tothe upward movement imparted by levers 41. Thecarrier will then be moved to the right by levers 5() a sufiicient distance to advance-each engaged barrel to the next succeeding station, whereupon the carrier will be lowered by levers 41 to deposit the barrel at such station. All of the stations nf the series, except the first and second stations, are providedwith fixed rests 55 upon which the barrels are respectively deposited.

The second station is provided with a set of rollers 57 one of which is actuated from any suitable source of power, from a belt or chain 58, pulley 55, and belt or chain GO, the latter operating over a pulley 61 connected withone ofthe rollers 57. The rotary movement of the driven roller 57 will of course be imparted to the barrel but the movement of the barrel will be checked by a spring actuated bung hole finder located in a position to engage in the bung hole of the barrel when the barrel has been rotated to bring the bung hole in registry therewith. The bung hole finder 60 operates upwardly between the rollers 57. It will be held down by tension ofits actuating spring until the bung .finder registers with the bung hole, whereupon it will be forced upwardly into the barrel.

When the barrel is rotated at the second station to bring the bung hole into registry with the finder 60, the cleansing solution injected into the barrel through the pipe` 3 will of course drain out of the barrel, and when the barrel is advanced from the second station, it will of course be rst lifted by the carrier and transported to the next station without further rotative movement. It will be deposited at the next station upon the fixed rests 55 where an injector nozzle 65 will register with and enter the bung hole of the barrel. This injector nozzle is provided with a spray head so that water or other rinsing liquid may be sprayed to all parts of the interior surface of the barrel, such water being permitted to drain out through the bung hole. The barrel is then advanced to the fourth station where it is received upon similar rests 55 and the draining operation is continued.

The next four stations are each provided with a series of blow torches 67, each of which is adapted to register with and enter the bung hole of the barrel at that station,

whereupon flame or a heated. blast is injected into the barrel to heat the interior surfaces until the pitch or calking material is melted and permitted to flow out through the bung hole. At the initial heating station (t. e. the fifth station in the series along which the barrels are advanced by the carrier), the interior surface of the barrel will be moist by reason of the residue of rinsing liquid therein. rlhis moisture will be converted into steam which will then be superheated and will facilitate dissolving and removing the calking material.

After the barrel has been successively advanced past the four heating stations, it is deposited at the ninth station of the series,

where a quantity of hot pitch or calking and sterilizing material is injected into the bar-v lll provided respectively with an air injecting nozzle 7l to blow out smoke, a water nozzle 72 to rinse the interior surface of the barrel and chill the calking material which has not previously drained out through the bung hole, and a reamer 73, preferably having an interior tube through which water may be injected into the barrel during the reaming operation. The reamer operates to-clear thek bung hole of any pitch or calking material which may have accumulated on the walls thereof. The reamer is actuated from `any suitable source of power by the belt or chain 74. After being reamed,` the barrel is delivered by the carrier to an inclined receiving way `7 5. g

The specific structure of the blow torch nozzles, the pitch injecting mechanism, the air nozzle, rinsing nozzle and reamer, together with the structure of the carrier and the operating mechanism, are all fully described in said companion application, and as these features are not claimed herein, description in further detail is deemed unnecessary. In the companion application, however, the calk removing and recalking devices are not shown or described in combination with washingapparatus, whereas in the structure shown and described in this application, the barrels may not only be washed, the calking material removed and fresh calking and sterilizing material inserted in one operation, but we have also discovered that by providing such mechan nism, the barrels are delivered to the blow torches in a moist condition and the generation of a small quantity of steam not only facilitates melting and removing the calking material, but also prevents the blow torch flames from burning the wooden sur faces of the barrel. The superheated steam will of course reach all parts of the interior of the barrel more effectually and with greater uniformity than the flames from the blow torches and the cleansing operation is therefore more effective than it would be if the interior surfaces of the barrel were initially dry.

1We claim l. In a barrel washing and renovating machine, 'the combination with interior and exterior barrel washing apparatus, of a bung stopper removing device, a bung finder, a heater adapted to enter the bung hole, and an injector nozzle also adapted to enter the bung hole and connected with a source of calking and sterilizing material under pressure, and means for automatically removing barrels from the washing apparatus and advancing them step by step to the stopper removing device, Vbung finder, heater and injector.

2. In a barrel washing and renovating machine, the combination with a bung remover, of a spray nozzle adapted to enter the bung hole of the barrel to deliver water to the interior thereof, a heater also adapted to enter said bung hole, and means for aumatically delivering barrels from the spray nozzle to the heater, whereby the heating operation may fill the barrel with superheated steam, developed from the water left in the barrel after the spraying operation.

3. In a barrel washing and renovating machine, the combination with a barrel runway, of a tank for liquid cleansing material and a flexible longitudinally eXtensible pipe adapted to connect said tank with the interior of a barrel while the latter is moving alonO the runway.

4 bln a barrel washing and renovating machine, the combination with a barrel run-way, of a tank for liquid cleansing material, a flexible pipe adapted to connect said tank with the interior of the barrel, and a water tank provided with washing devices for the exterior surfaces of the barrel and to which said run-way leads.

5. In a barrel washing and renovating machine, the combination with a barrel runway, of a tank for liquid cleansing material, a flexible pipe adapted to connect said tank with the interior of the barrel, and a water tank provided with washing devices for the exterior surfaces of the barrel and to which said run-way leads, together' with barrel lifting mechanism adapted to lift barrels out of said water tank, means for opening the barrel, removing the cleansing compound, rinsing the interior surfaces, melting and draining out old calking material and injecting fresh calking material, all in a series of automatic operations.

6. In a barrel washing and renovating machine, the combination of a power driven bung stopper remover, a barrel support adapted to facilitate barrel rotation, means for manually adjusting the bung stopper remover into and out of operative position, and means for automatically substituting barrels upon said support at predetermined intervals.

7. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of bung stopper remover, adapted to facilitate barrel rotation, means for manually adjusting the bung stopper remover into and out of perative position, means for automatically substituting barrels upon said support at predetermined intervals, a barrel rotating device adapted to receive barrels delivered by said substituting means, and a resilient bung finder adapted to enter the bung hole and stop the rotative movement of the barrel with the bung hole at the under side.

8. In a barrel washing and renovating machine, the combination of outside and inside soaking means, outside scrubbing means, means for automatically transferand renovating a power driven a barrel support ico ring barrel from consecutive stations for the purpose of automatically centering, rinsing, prelieating, pitching, smoke-extracting, cooling, reaming and rinsing operations.

9. In a barrel Washing and renovating machine, the combination with a barrel run- Way, of a tank for liquid cleansing material, and a pipe having longitudinally eX- tensible sections and adapted to connect y said tank with the interior` of the barrel in various positions of rolling barrel movement along the run-Way.

In testimony whereof We aiix our signatures in the presence of tvvo Witnesses.

MAX LUPINSKI. GEORGE J. MEYER.

IVitnesses:

LnvERET'n C. WHEELER, IRMA D. BREMER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

